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U.S. Government Official Shuts Down, No Deal in Sight; From 'Woke' to 'Warriors': Hegseth, Trump Deliver Vision for Military. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired October 01, 2025 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Congratulations, 32 Chunk. Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C. CNN THIS MORNING, with my colleague Erica Hill, starts right now.

[06:00:20]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: While you were sleeping, your government shut down. So how did we get here again? CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want, and they'd be Democrat things.

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HILL: Shutdown standoff, the president mixing policy with politics. Is there any real chance here for negotiation?

Hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed overnight. The broader impact on your travel plans and your health.

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RUSS VOUGHT, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: I don't think anyone should be afraid of a government shutdown.

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HILL: Trump's budget director downplaying the shutdown. Is he about to finish what DOGE started?

Hamas backed into a corner. Will they agree to return the remaining hostages and to disarm?

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PETE HEGSETH, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses.

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HILL: A new vision for the U.S. military. Are the generals OK with their new marching orders? The Democratic congresswoman-elect who can't get sworn in. And it all

comes back to the Epstein files.

Six a.m. here on the East Coast. There it is again: Capitol Hill, looking beautiful just before the sun comes up here in Washington. Of course, a lot riding on what could or could not happen on the Hill at this point.

Good morning, everyone. It is Wednesday, October 1. Good to have you with us. I'm Erica Hill, in for Audie Cornish.

Of course, the breaking news this morning: We are now six hours into that government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers waking up, uncertain of when their next paycheck will come, some of them wondering if this could be the end of their job altogether.

The Trump administration, though, marking what it sees as an opportunity in the shutdown. Federal agencies launching their individual shutdown plans, which include furloughing thousands of workers. Others deemed essential will still need to work. But of course, without pay until they get that retroactive pay once the shutdown ends.

The director of the White House Office of Management and Budget is also threatening mass layoffs, saying the shutdown will give him a chance to, quote, "permanently change the government." President Trump seems to agree.

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TRUMP: We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them, and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.

And, you know, all -- you all know Russell Vought. He's become very popular recently, because he can trim the budget to a level that you couldn't do any other way.

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HILL: A patchwork of government services will stay in operation. Social Security checks and Medicare and Medicaid benefits will still be paid out, as will unemployment benefits and veteran services.

But as for the national parks, monuments, and museums, a number of those likely will close.

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STEVEN FREBERICKS, CLIMBING GUIDE NEAR JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK: I feel for the rangers that get laid off, but also, you know, there's a bunch of my friends' guiding companies here in town that we won't be able to work if they close the park entirely.

JOHN LAURETIG, PRESIDENT, FRIENDS OF JOSHUA TREE: If they're not protected, if they're not guarded, if they're not maintained, those -- those special aspects of the park, we could lose as Americans. And we don't want that.

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HILL: Joining me now in the group chat, Nia-Malika Henderson, CNN senior political analyst and political and policy columnist for Bloomberg; Charlie Dent, former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania; and Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Vice President Harris and senior adviser for speaker Nancy Pelosi. It's good to have all of you with us this morning.

And so, not a big surprise that the government shutdown, of course, at midnight, we basically knew it was coming. I guess the question now is how long do we stay in this place? Which really, as we just heard from the president, Nia, he sees as a real opportunity.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right.

Listen, Republicans have been wanting to slash the government for decades. It's sort of part of their DNA. We saw some of that happen, obviously with DOGE and Elon Musk.

And now we have the office and the OMB director basically saying this is an opportunity for mass firings.

Listen, the record for shutdown is 35 days. It went from 2018 to 2019. Trump likes to be the biggest and the best, even if it's at doing terrible things like keeping the government closed. And that could happen.

I mean, the sides are so far apart, they're so dug in. This was inevitable. You have Democrats wanting to show some fight, and you have Republicans in -- in an in an odd position, which is sort of arguing for, for government services. Right?

I mean, you had Mike Johnson said, listen, if this happens, then WIC, those folks won't get their funding. So, it's a very interesting time we have here. The roles are very much reversed.

[06:05:05]

HILL: They are very much reversed. And I'm struck by the messaging, to your point. So, you do have, you know, Speaker Johnson talking about things like WIC.

But you also have the president saying very clearly -- and just -- we played a little bit of what he said, but I'm quoting him again here -- that this is an opportunity; that cutting things that "they" like, programs that "they" like.

And, you know, talking about Russell Vought: He's become very popular, because he can trim the budget in a level that you couldn't do any other way.

This is, in many ways, a win for President Trump, not only if they can message it properly to say, Hey, it's not on us; it's the Democrats. But if he can continue with what he wants to do in terms of slashing government.

CHARLIE DENT, FORMER PENNSYLVANIA CONGRESSMAN: Well, that's why I thought, back in the spring, Schumer was right to cut the deal that he did just for this reason; that they're going to let Russ Vought run wild.

But this -- this shutdown is very similar to me, at least from a congressional standpoint, to 2013. That was when the Tea party was itching for a fight. They said, if we don't defund Obamacare, we're shutting down the government. Of course, Republicans lost that fight, knew they were going to lose that fight, but went ahead with it anyway.

And now this time, we have the Democrats base itching for a fight, fighting over health care. And they don't get it. You know, they're prepared to let the government shut down.

And Republicans are arguing for the clean funding bill for 50 days. Back then it was a Democrats. So, it's just the roles have reversed.

But what's different, though, is that this administration does want to use this crisis as an opportunity to slash programs that they don't like. That was not the case with the Obama administration in 2013, 12 years ago.

HILL: When you look at this, right, in terms of the scripting, itching for a fight, did Democrats engineer this fight, right, the right way? Yesterday, I noticed you said to Jake they needed to flip the script in their messaging. Have they done that at all?

ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: I haven't seen it yet. I mean, there's still opportunity here.

I think, you know, this is a critical moment. But, you know, if we take a step back, I asked, you know, my friends on the progressive side, like, so it's shut down. Now what?

HILL: Yes.

ETIENNE: You know, no one can game this thing out five or, you know, five moves for me. Because at the end of the day, the Democrats are going to have to vote for something.

I think Trump and the Republicans have an upper hand here. They made an overture to Democrats coming out of the Oval Office. They said, well negotiate with you on ASA. Let's just not do it with a gun. To my head. They should have taken that deal. They denied that -- that particular deal.

Now you've got a situation very different than 2018. When I was in the in the war room with Pelosi, when we were shut down for 35 days.

The difference then and now is that you've got a Republican Party and a president who's willing to shoot the hostage. They could -- they don't -- they could care less, couldn't care less about prices going up, inflation going up, people's premiums, healthcare premiums going up. They could care less about that.

So, your negotiating hand is weaker now than -- than what we've had in the past.

And then in '18, I think it was Trump wanted some -- some money for his border wall. So, everybody needed to negotiate for something.

Now we're in a situation where, you know, you could find yourself on the losing end of this thing and -- and -- but this is the way how I think it's going to end, sir.

I think what's going to happen is they're going to get on the phone with J.D. Vance, who made the offer. They're going to say, listen, well take you up on that offer. We'll give you the votes.

They'll come out and say, listen, we met with were going to hold them to it, but we're not going to play their game. We're not going to shut down the government. We're not going to destroy the economy. We're going to let them do this. They're going to negotiate on health care. We'll give them the votes to do that. And I think that's how this whole thing is going to end.

DENT: You cannot negotiate these things during a crisis. You almost always come out with a cleaner bill. The side that's making the demand usually loses.

So, I just don't understand the Democrats' exit strategy out of this right now. And but --

ETIENNE: Well, maybe it is, to what you said, like in '13. You got to teach your base and your lefties some -- some lessons here.

DENT: It was a "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" moment.

ETIENNE: Let them exercise themselves; shut it down.

DENT: Let's just cross the bridge and get our arms and legs hacked off and pretend that we're winning. No, you're not winning. So that's what I'm afraid could be happening here.

HILL: The reality, too, is 2025 is not 2013. And it's not 2018 either. Yes. And so, the rules have shifted dramatically.

HENDERSON: I think that's right. And that's why, you know, to Ashley's point, no one really knows where this is going to end.

You know, the Democrats are betting not necessarily on J.D. Vance, but the idea that that Donald Trump gets a little weak in the knees around the ACA, right?

That is the main fight: that these subsidies are going to end. You heard Schumer say, well, this is really the first time that Donald Trump had heard about what's going to happen with these premiums going up once these subsidies end.

And so/ that's sort of what Democrats are betting. I think the underlying problem here, I think, with the idea that they would come out with a deal, is that there's no trust here. There's no trust.

There's also an ability for this administration to claw back any funding that they actually agreed to, as we saw happen this summer with those rescissions.

And so, this is one of the things that is at stake here, too, this idea that the executive can't claw back what Congress does.

So, listen, this is a big fight. You've got Hakeem Jeffries leading Schumer on this, which is a different dynamic than what we've seen in the past. And we'll see.

[06:10:09]

You know, the House is very much looking at the House Democrats at least; at least looking at how -- how sturdy will that coalition in the Senate be, or will they, you know, start to get weak in the knees.

HILL: Right, as we see, there is going to be this push, right, for continued votes. We'll see where it ends up.

Lots more to discuss, of course, in the hour ahead. Also, here with these party lines drawn as we were just discussing, could there be room to negotiate? Well, I'll speak with Republican Congressman Mike Haridopolos of Florida. He'll be here with us in the studio with his message.

Plus, the federal funds have now run out for public broadcasting. What does that mean for your local stations? And what is open? What's closed? Who won't get paid? We're going to take a closer look at the real-world impacts of this shutdown. Just ahead.

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JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, ABC'S "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": Trump is threatening to make irreversible cuts if there's a shutdown, which you know what? I was recently the victim of a government shutdown. They are reversible. I will tell you that.

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HILL: Fifteen minutes past the hour. Here's a look at your morning roundup.

Five homes collapsing into the ocean in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Rough surf churned up by Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda.

And forecasters do worry that additional homes could be impacted this week alone. So far, 17 homes in that area have collapsed into the Atlantic since 2020.

Well, the clock has officially run out now on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, out of funding now, after Congress cut more than $1 billion in federal funding from them.

This was -- was one of the final acts. It was to direct nearly $58 in public media funding to a nonprofit supporting local NPR and PBS affiliates, taking NPR out of the mix. NPR has sued to say it should be the one managing that process.

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NAPHEESA COLLIER, MINNESOTA LYNX PLAYER: We go to battle every day to protect a shield that doesn't value us. The league believes it succeeds despite its players, not because of them.

The league has made it clear it isn't about innovation. It isn't about collaboration. It's about control and power.

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HILL: Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier calling out the leadership, as you just heard there, at the WNBA, slamming leadership for not addressing concerns about poor officiating and for also what she says is a lack of concern about the health of the players.

After the break right here on CNN THIS MORNING, no fat generals, the highest male standard. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, laying out his vision for the U.S. military.

Plus, Washington goes dark. Why the FDA says the shutdown will have a significant impact on the agency's ability to protect public health.

And how about a good morning to our friends in Dallas? That is Big Tex, the 55-foot cowboy greeting people as they arrive at the Texas State Fair. Of course, the early hours now, just after 5 a.m. there in Dallas. But you can still visit the fair through October 16.

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[06:21:45]

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TRUMP: America is under invasion from within. We're under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways, because they don't wear uniforms. At least when they're wearing a uniform, you can take them out.

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HILL: Comments there from the president after Secretary Hegseth talked about U.S. cities being training grounds for troops; also noting fat generals, unacceptable. Dudes in dresses, according to the secretary. Not going to happen. Fewer women, he said. So be it. That is apparently the MAGA military vision. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump laying out that

plan in an unusual meeting with senior military leaders at Quantico on Tuesday.

Parts of that plan include a full review of the Pentagon's policy on hazing, an end to diversity requirements, and strict new physical standards, to name a few.

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HEGSETH: Every designated combat arms position returns to the highest male standard only. If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.

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HILL: Joining me to discuss, Special Operations Army veteran, New York congressional candidate Cait Conley.

It's good to have you with me this morning. For -- for folks who may not be aware, you attended West Point, the U.S. military academy, I believe graduating in the top 2 percent of your class. You spent 16 years in the service.

What do you make of what you heard from Secretary Hegseth yesterday and his approach now to what he sees as the issues, the deficiencies in the current military?

CAIT CONLEY (D), NEW YORK CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Erica, first, thank you so much for having me.

And I want to make one thing incredibly clear from the top. And I hope every American realizes this. We already have the most effective and lethal fighting force in the world. And that is because of the incredible men and women who put on the uniform, raise their hands, swear an oath to the Constitution, and choose to serve.

And because of the incredible professionalism of America's military leaders, who focus on one thing, results, not P.R. stunts or make-up rooms. They focus on delivering the best security possible for the American people. And that is what this is all about.

And I say this as someone who has walked it, who has done it, who has lived it, as you talked about. West Point, 16 years on active-duty military service. Over a decade in the Special Ops community. We have hunted down the world's most brutal terrorists to keep Americans safe in places like Iraq, Syria, Yemen. This has always been about results.

And for the last decade, we have seen our military have combat arms forces with the best people manning them. That is, both men and women, because it is in America's best interest to pull from 100 percent of its population, to have the most effective fighting force in the world, not just 50 percent.

So, Erica, we're relitigating something that the military has already not only solved, but integrated and been made more effective from. And so, let's focus on the things we should be talking about.

But instead, what you saw yesterday wasn't about America. It was about one man's ego and putting not this country first, but partisan politics and showmanship. And that can't be what the U.S. military is about.

And so, this goes back to you. Look, you want gender-neutral standards for combat arms? We're there. We've been supporting that since the inception. In fact, that's what we called for.

[06:25:10]

And I am not worried at all about women being able to do it, because they have been for the last decade.

And so, this is really about we should have a leader in the DOD who is looking forward, not backwards, you know, about what are the future conflicts we must be preparing for, instead of getting stuck on things like 1990s, you know, episodes in his mind where he sees this idealism of the American military. That is not what America needs to fight the conflicts of the future.

HILL: So, based on your experience, one of the things -- you just touched on this. But one of the other things that Secretary Hegseth yesterday said -- and I'm quoting him here -- he said, "You're hereby liberated to be an apolitical, hard-charging, no-nonsense constitutional leader that you joined the military to be."

In your time, both at the academy, your 16 years of service, did you see those issues? Was the military in which you served too political? Does that need a shakeup?

CONLEY: Erica, I served under Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden. I have, with incredible pride, seen the U.S. military and its service members remain true to their oath to the Constitution and to executing the lawful orders of whatever administration was in command.

And that is the core ethos of the American military, right? Is that consistency and that loyalty to the Constitution and country, not a person or party.

And so, I have to tell you, it's the privilege of a lifetime to lead America's sons and daughters in the defense of this nation, and those men and women will always put this country first. You know, I think someone should congratulate Secretary Hegseth for finally catching up and realizing that is what the military has done and will always continue to do.

HILL: Before I let you go, as I noted, you are running for Congress as a Democrat, hoping to unseat Republican Mike Lawler. Are you satisfied this morning with the way your party has approached this issue of the shutdown and where things stand, how they've handled this moment?

CONLEY: Erica, I think what we are seeing across the country is the American people are just frustrated with government's inability to address the real problems we are facing. And I think yesterday's issue with Hegseth and this conference is just

further reinforcing that. Instead of talking about the real issues like North Korea affirming that they're going to pursue ever-growing nuclear weapons armaments, and things like Russia conducting a 12-hour missile and drone strike on Kyiv, we're talking about nonsense and things that are already addressed and not real problems.

The American people are sick of the games and the partisanship. They want people to just get out there and do their job and to solve real problems.

And so, I really do hope that we can come together and continue moving forward for this country and the American people who deserve better.

HILL: So, just can I get a yes or no? Do you approve of the way Democrats have handled this moment?

CONLEY: I think we should absolutely be advocating to ensure that Americans have access to health care, and that some of the severe cuts that were implemented are not allowed to continue. But we've got to get this government to function again, period. And that's what the American people deserve.

HILL: Cait Conley, thank you for your time and for your service.

CONLEY: Thank you.

HILL: Still to come here on CNN THIS MORNING, the blame game, of course, has been underway for days at this point. But what about those thousands of federal workers who are waking up to an uncertain future? What's the answer for them? Can Congress actually come together to end this government shutdown?

Plus, Hamas, under increasing pressure as this deadline looms to agree to a peace deal.

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